catch*/*/*/

[kætʃ] (past tense and past participle caught [kɔːt] ) verb I

1) [I/T] to stop something that is falling or moving through the air, and hold it

Stewart caught the ball with one hand.[/ex]

A bucket stood under the hole to catch the rain.[/ex]

2) [T] to get hold of and stop a person or animal so that they cannot escape

She raced to catch the child before he got to the edge.[/ex]

Wolves hunt and catch their prey in packs.[/ex]

Laura shouted, "Wait!" and caught hold of his arm.[/ex]

Did you catch any fish (= using a fishing rod or net)?[/ex]

3) [T] if the police catch someone, they find them and arrest them

4) [I/T] to get on a train, bus, plane, or boat that is travelling somewhere

I caught the next train to London.[/ex]

I have a flight to catch at 4.40.[/ex]

5) [T] to find someone doing something that they do not expect or want you to see

Several times she'd caught him staring at her.[/ex]

Diana was caught red-handed (= caught while doing something wrong).[/ex]

6) [T] to surprise someone in an unpleasant way, by doing something that they are not prepared for

The question caught their spokesperson by surprise.[/ex]

Harry looked up suddenly, catching Emily off her guard (= when she was not ready).[/ex]

7) [T] to become unexpectedly involved in an unpleasant situation

We were caught in a heavy storm.[/ex]

She got caught up in a clash between protesters and police.[/ex]

8) [I/T] to become stuck on something, or to make something get stuck

I must have caught my shirt on a nail.[/ex]

9) [T] to get a disease or illness

Brian caught chickenpox from his nephew.[/ex]

10) [T] to hear something that someone says

I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you said.[/ex]

11) [T] informal

to find someone available to talk by going to them or telephoning them

Margaret caught me just as I was leaving.[/ex]

12) [T] to discover a problem or medical condition and stop it from becoming worse

Doctors assured her that they had caught the cancer in time.[/ex]

13) [T] to have a sudden effect on someone's attention or imagination

It was Myra's red hair that first caught my attention.[/ex]

14) [T] if light catches something, or if something catches the light, the light makes it look bright and shiny

15) [T] to hit someone on a part of their body, or to hit a part of your body on something by accident

•

catch your breath — 1) to stop breathing suddenly for a short time because you are surprised or impressed; 2) to take time to start to breathe normally again after physical exercise[/ex]

catch sb's eye — 1) if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it[/ex]

There was one painting that caught my eye.[/ex]

— 2) to get someone's attention by looking at them

catch sight of/a glimpse of — to see someone or something for a very short time[/ex]

- catch on

- catch sb out

- catch (sb/sth) up

- catch up on sth

- catch up with sb

II

noun

catch */*/[kætʃ]

1) [C] an act of stopping and holding a ball that is moving through the air

Well done! Good catch![/ex]

2) [C] an object used for fastening something such as a window, door, or container

3) [C] a hidden problem or difficulty in something that seems extremely good

It sounds so cheap – is there a catch?[/ex]

4) [U] a game in which children throw a ball to each other